Ontario police officers have been cracking down on alleged gang activity in the Greater Toronto Area. Concerned with drug trafficking and other criminal activities, police officers have arrested 11 residents of York Region. These men were caught up in a sting in which police across Ontario laid 485 charges on 90 men and women.
The men are alleged to be part of a widespread criminal organization which centred around drug trafficking. Six of them hail from Richmond Hill, while the others are from Thornhill, Vaughan, and Markham. If found guilty, they could face serious penalties. Police note that along with drug trafficking, arrests were made on suspicion of shootings, kidnappings, and sexual assaults.
Police in this investigation, dubbed Project Kronic, are concerned with the safety of Ontario residents, as well as the growing concern over the widespread use of fentanyl and opiods. Police say the drug ring is large in scale, making the case a complex one. The York Region men have been arrested on charges involving drug trafficking, kidnapping, weapons charges and more.
Although this investigation centred around drug trafficking, guns and violence also play a role in the alleged crimes. Among the confiscated items were 15 firearms, 14 handguns, and over 230 fentanyl pills and patches. This adds increasing complexity to the case and raises questions over the what role each individual is accused of playing in the alleged group.
Criminal investigations and trials centering around gang activity can be multi-faceted, and it is sometimes unclear what role an individual did or did not play in the organization and any crimes alleged. This gives defendants a number of options. Anyone arrested as part of a group will want to secure personal representation by a criminal defence attorney to protect important legal rights and pursue the client's best interests.
Source: www.yorkregion.com, "11 York men face kidnapping, drugs, firearms charges in Toronto gang takedown", Tim Kelly, June 16, 2017